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I just watched a very intense movie called blood diamonds with Leonardo di Caprio
never made me think of the story behind it til I watched the movie
make sure your diamonds are conflict free
a must see movie if you are shopping for diamonds
dont want to be a downer but I never knew about issues til I watched the movie
The movie is about rebels and vigilantes, child soldiers and the vigilantes in South Africa who kill villages and take men to work in diamond laden waters, and brainwash the little boys to be their vigilante soldiers; the main character loses his family, Leonardo is a mercenery and helps the guy find the family in exchange for selling a large diamond he found for 50-50' its a great movie; Leonardo dies at the end, the man finds his family and exposes the story of corrupt officals who buy these diamonds and fuel the war; its a fictional story based on true facts; there are 200,000 child soldiers in africa
good movie, but made me think
*sigh* well there goes the end of the movie ruined :(
I recently spoke with a well known jeweller in town here and he assured me that 99 percent of all diamonds sold AT A REPUTABLE jeweller are conflict free.
He said it's somewhat become the thing to advertise that a diamond is conflict free and in some instances, giving it that extra label (when it was already to begin with) can just jack up the price of the stone.
I also was concerned after I saw blood diamond also but am glad I asked. He said that sometimes by tacking on that label or making something (already that way) eco-friendly have become buzz words for "more expensive".
Talk to your jeweller. Most of them do not support buying diamonds from places where that type of conflict happens.
bellanga - I'm going to have to disagree. How can a jeweller say for sure that all the diamonds they sell are conflict free? I also disagree that it's just a tactic being used to increase the prices of diamonds. The only way you can guarantee that a diamond is conflict free IMHO is to find out where it is from. I specifically told my FI that I would not want a conflict diamond for my engagement ring - and you know how he did that? He purchased ONLY certified Canadian diamonds. Yes you may pay a premium on the diamond - but it's a small price to pay knowing that no blood was shed for it.
my diamond was an heirloom. It was the origional diamond from my grandmother's engagement ring. I don't have any way to know if it was 'conflict free' or not. Personally (although I am thrilled to have it due to the sentimental value) I don't really purchase jewlery and tend to think its a waste of money : ( I know i will likely get a lot of flack for that. i DO treasure the heirloom jewels I have received over the years and I DO like diamonds, I am just a cheap skate I guess. I tried to think of something intelligent to contribute to this post but i feel pretty out of the loop as i have never been diamond shopping myself.
I've often thought about this subject, not so much because of the movie, but just because it's a well-known fact that human beings are suffering, being murdered, being tortured for the diamond industry. These people have no choice in life. I personally believe DeBeers and the other big diamond companies are only in it for the money. They don't care about the poor African boy who got his hand blown off or cut off for diamonds. It's really ludicrous and disgusting to me. IMO, there is no way to gaurantee a "conflict-free" diamond unless you are able to trace it allllllll the way back to when it was first found. The big diamond companies just slap the label "conflict-free" on their African diamonds and everyone is expected to believe them. Sorry if I sound cynical, but it really pains me to think of poor innocent people suffering for us to be able to wear "bling bling."
@MrsBtobe -- Mine is also a Canadian diamond, which makes me feel a little better, but still... I wonder how anyone can truly tell.
I agree with ddbuzz - there is no way to know if a diamond is TRULY conflict free. I asked a jeweller here in Chicago when we first started looking and he said a lot of comapnies and jewellers will tell you that "Yes, it is conflict free" when in fact they have no idea and it is almost impossible to find out. You really think that anyone is going to admit that "yes, we do have boy soliders with missing limbs digging for diamonds."
I agree it is our responosiblity to be aware and do what we can, but you have to find out facts, first. I'm happy that you started with the fictional movie Blood Diamonds, but do some more research, too. It is hollywood afterall, where they spend millions on having 30 karat diamond necklaces, earrings, etc.
I have to agree with most on this. There's no way we can tell whether it is 100% conflict free. Even if it's certified, it doesn't mean it's conflict free either. We just have to be aware and hopefully someone will shed light on those companies that are encouraging this by purchasing blood daimonds.
If you're concerned about it, you could always get a lab-created diamond. :)
(I mention this because I am a big nerd and watched a Discovery channel show a couple weeks ago about how they actually make lab-created diamonds. It's such a cool process!)
Mine is a diamond that can be traced to a location based on it's color signature. (Think Kimberly mined diamonds). I think this is a very touchy subject, and I would caution us that what is right for one person may be different for another. Each of us has to use conscience as our guide....
I actually wrote about this topic on my blog. When I was younger I wanted a diamond and then I started reading about DeBeers and was turned off. I've always liked diamonds but never wanted the center stone to be a diamond because I prefer sapphires, but I like diamonds as accents. I've had this topic with some of my friends, as Black women, we discuss this a lot because we feel a kinship with Africa...but even with all of my reading and all of the assurances of jewelers--you don't really know...you never know. My jeweler says my tiny side stones are conflict-free, but how would I go back and trace that?
There's this thing called the Kimberley Process by the UN to get countries to certify the origin of their diamonds...but it's not an actual law--the companies who join and agree to the self-regulation and the guidelines of the Process. If a company can't verify the origin the punishment is that they are kicked out of the group and the other countries will not trade with them and it looks bad. But this is not a law--if a person is worried about "blood diamonds" then they can do research on countries that are participants and try to buy a diamond from one of these countries.
BUT how can we ever really know unless we see with our own eyes where the diamond came from?
Right, a professional would know who he's purchased from--but where did the person he/she bought the diamond from get it? Jewelers don't always deal directly with a mining company, there's usually more than two companies in the chain--so a jeweler could buy diamonds from their source thinking that they are "conflict-free" but in fact the source could have gotten the diamonds in a conflict zone. Also, I don't think any jeweler would ever say their diamonds weren't conflict free--if someone's asking about that they want to keep the customer. My jeweler says my diamonds are conflict free--the diamonds I got as sidestones were similarily priced to diamonds with no advertisement of being conflict free or eco-diamonds.
I think it's good that people are at least aware, questioning and having discussions like this one--but until there are laws with harsh punishments--there is no guarantee--so you either don't buy diamonds or you do. People have to do what they are comfortable doing, I was comfortable with my fiance getting me a ring with diamonds--even without some form of documentation saying "Conflict Free."
the jeweler may purchase from a middleman... not directly from the mine that the diamond came from. the jeweler, like others have said, may not know either. if you are concerned, you should ask about the sources and do the research yourself (what i plan on doing when the time comes). i have done missions work in africa and could never blindly purchase a diamond, but thats my personal experience. what you dont know won't make you feel guilty, but i think if you are aware of the situation, conflict-free should absolutely be on your list of diamond purchasing requirements... right up there with carat count, setting, shape, etc.
just my 2¢.
I'm sure that we can all agree that things like child soldiers and corruption are bad. Even if you found someone who doesn't care whether their diamond is conflict-free or not and you asked them whether they thought corrpution and violence were acceptable they would probably say no.
However, as typical consumers, we can't go right to the source. We don't know if any diamond is truly conflict free or just labled that way.
For me it's the same as going to the grocery store and buying organic produce- I have no idea if the produce is actually organic or not, and frankly I can't tell the difference between the organic and non-organic stuff. It tastes the same to me, even though the organic stuff is supposed to be better due to fewer pesticides and whatnot. The grocer says it is organic, and if I can afford to pay more for the organic stuff and I don't mind taking the risk that it may not actually be organic but it might be a marketing scam, well then great.
For me though, at the end of the day, a tomato is a tomato and a diamond is a diamond.
Would I want my diamond to come from a mine where some poor, essentially enslaved child mined it? Heck no, that sounds awful. Is there any way for me to really be sure that my diamond didn't come from one of those minds without simply taking someone's word for it? No, there is not. Additionally, am I willing to pay more for a diamond that is "conflict-free", versus a diamond that looks exactly the same that is not branded as such? Well, I can't really afford it, so I've got to say no here. And in truth, I don't know if my diamond is conflict free or not.
Just providing a different viewpoint on the matter.
I agree that this is a very touchy subject. Yes the movie brought to light that there are child laborers in Africa mining the diamonds. But remember that movies often (uh, most) times seriousy dramatize situations to sell. I am by no means saying it isnt an issue, but if youre going to go this route you probably shouldnt buy foreign made clothing or products either. They use child labor in very harsh conditions. Those children die as well. This is one of those subjects thats best left to the individiual. I applaud you all for making your individual choices, but this is a slippery slope
wow, didnt think my thread would incite so much passion; I just found the movie very very disturbing and thought it was only right we should be aware
sorry, baby pebbles didn't mean to ruin the end for you; great movie though, very interesting, just very disturbing
<p class="bodyText"><span class="title"> you are likely ok if you ask your retailer- they should have certification of conflict-free diamonds but they aren't required to show it to you unless you or they choose to.<p class="bodyText"><span class="title"><p class="bodyText"><span class="title">RETAIL (SYSTEM OF WARRANTIES):
Retailers are responsible for ensuring that the diamonds they stock and sell carry a warranty that they are conflict free. Retailers are required to audit these Systems of Warranties statements on their invoices as part of their annual audit process and to keep records for 5 years. The System of Warranties does not require the warranty to appear on the consumer's receipt. But by implementing measures for greater supervision, compliance and accountability, through the System of Warranties, within the diamond trade, consumers can be assured that the diamonds they buy are from sources that are free from conflict. Consumers can ask for assurances from their retailers that their diamond is from sources free from conflict.<p class="bodyText"> <p class="bodyText">http://diamondfacts.org/ in case you're bored/ interested. its good to have knowledge of hot topics like these!
Ps Child labor isn't the only problem with diamond mining. It is tied to things far more horrific. Buy what you will but know that kids in a mine, even ones that die there, are not the end of the story by far.
I buy organic, and my diamond has a conflict-free guarantee. We all make our choices on this earth. I don't judge others for what they choose.
You can never truly tell where a diamond comes from. But at least you can TRY to ameliorate the situation by buying conflict-free, if you want to.
The more people who TRY, the better any given situation will become. The tougher the laws will become. That's how law is made (or is supposed to be made, anyway) - it's a reflection of the changing values of society.
The "slippery slope" argument does not cut weight with me. I think you are just proving your own point. I also try not to buy products that result from child labor. Are there any guarantees there, either? No. But I will continue to TRY. I'm not perfect, but I will endeavor every day of my life to be a little bit better about the choices I make.
Just because a topic is touchy doesn't mean that those who want to discuss it shouldn't give their opinions. This is wedding-related topic. Sure, it's passionate, but it's interesting. The world is full of much worse things out there than a thread on conflict-free diamonds. ;)BubblyBride, people like you make me smile. What irritates me is when people see ONLY their side and won't hear out the other - THANK YOU! I didnt want to incite anger in anyone - once again proving that the ladies on this board are incredible women
Thank all of you ladies for talking maturely about this topic without judging others!! This is what makes the Hive a great place to share ideas!
As for myself, I have a white sapphire centerstone. Furthermore it is lab created. So I can say for my ring that the stones are conflict-free. What about the gold? Was it mined by children in Colombia? I don't know. What about my Nike shoes or the toys I buy my niece and nephews? What about anything and everything in my apartment that says "Made in China?" I simply don't know. Unless there is some magical detection device that you can wave over what you buy, you're just not going to know whether the items you buy are mined/assembled/embroidered/created through slave labor or not. ESPECIALLY diamonds, which are controlled mostly in a fashion that ensures they are in fact diamonds. They are not controlled based on whether or not a slave mined it. And the companies have no vested interest in being honest with you, or they risk devaluing their product. A diamond can be marked for export with the "conflict-free" sticker without government supervision. Or if there is, they are corrupt and bribed anyway.
I work for a luxury jeweler. "Conflict free" doesn't mean anything and isn't tied to any law, association or anything else official. Latoya is right about the Kimberley Process. If you want to ensure your diamond is "conflict free", make sure the jeweler you purchase it from, and their suppliers all adhere to the Kimberley Process.
PS - Mighty Sapphire is also right to mention gold mining - far more harmful than diamond mining...Socially and environmentally speaking. It is one of the most destructive and polluting industries in the world.
I did research on diamonds before I got engaged, and the story is a lot more complicated than just conflict vs. non-conflict diamonds.
A lot of jewelers believe that they are not selling conflict diamonds. When they tell customers not to worry about conflict stones, they believe this in their hearts and are not lying. However, believing this and having done extensive research on the origins of the diamonds they sell are two different things.
Most jewelers buy their DeBeers stones from other middlemen. The middlemen buy boxes of stones from DeBeers called lots, where the stones are all mixed and do not come with information identifying which among them are conflict and which are non-conflict. The buyers do not have any choice in what stones are included in their lots, and protesting a bad lot can result in exclusion from the DeBeers buying process. Given that the guys buying the diamonds directly from DeBeers have no idea what they're getting, it's clearly next to impossible for a jeweler, reputable or not, to credibly identify a DeBeers diamond as conflict-free.
It gets more complicated. The Kimberly Process is, as another poster mentioned, voluntary. It's also full of holes.
- Suppose you get a DeBeers stone that was registered as conflict-free at time of shipping to Antwerp/London (not that you would know this as the end consumer, but just suppose you had such a stone). That designation could be incorrect. Some diamond-producing countries have porous borders combined with weak governments and grinding poverty, so diamond smuggling is common. Getting a tiny and valuable stone to a country that's not at war to be able to sell it in accordance with the Kimberly Process can yield a nice financial payoff. The bottom line is that there is no really reliable way of tracing a stone to a specific country/mine/miner, and a diamond procured in accordance with the Kimberly Process isn't necessarily conflict-free.
- Now suppose you get a DeBeers stone that was legitimately mined in a country that's not at war. That is, this stone is truly conflict-free according to the definition set forth by the Kimberly Protocol. Conflict-free just means it was not produced in a country at war. This does not mean that the diamond did not cause the death or maiming of a human being. Miners in diamond-producing countries are easy targets for bandits and gangsters. If a miner in a non-conflict country is suspected of having swallowed a diamond, he could be attacked and murdered for what is presumed to be in his intestines. If there is a diamond found in his body, it can legitimately be called conflict-free. That's just one example, but my point is that in some countries, diamonds are tremendously valuable and human life isn't. There will be another desperate miner to take the place of the one that was killed. Conflict-free is a narrow definition, and doesn't necessarily mean that a stone did not create conflict.
One a personal note, I was really torn on what I wanted to do about my engagement ring. I was just traditional enough to really want one, but the more I learned about DeBeers diamonds, the less romantic they felt. I worried about whether I was overly fixating on this one issue that was getting so much press (blood diamonds! hacked off hands! child soldiers!) while I continued to buy sweatshop clothing, order takeout in styrofoam containers, and make other not-so-conscientious decisions.
I decided that we all have to make decisions about what matters most to us, and I know I will never live a life that's perfectly at one with the Earth, but the standard DeBeers diamond engagement ring was one thing I decided not to do. I have friends and family with lovely diamonds and I don't think less of them for wearing them, but I knew I didn't want one myself. In case anyone else feels the same, I can share the alternatives I came up with:
- diamonds certified to be of Canadian origin
- diamonds certified to be of Australian origin
- lab-created diamonds
- cubic zirconium
- moissanite
- other gemstones
- heirloom diamonds
- estate/antique diamond jewelry (some of these are new rings that are designed to look like estate/antique pieces, so this option could require additional research)
In case you're interested (and happen to still be reading!), I went with moissanite. It was a long decision-making process. Mr. Pavillionette and I had no heirloom stones, so that option was out. My fiancé vetoed estate/antique jewelry because he was worried about bad omens (I disagreed but respected his weirdness). CZ felt fake to me (although my best friend has one and loves it to death). I never encountered any Australian diamonds, and the Canadian ones were out of our price range. That left lab-created diamonds, moissanite, and gemstones--I loved sapphire. It was a toss-up for a while. We were engaged for weeks and still hadn't picked out a ring! We finally went with moissanite, and are both pleased with the decision. The stone is as pretty as any. And aside from the possibility that the scientists were duking it out in the laboratory, it is as conflict-free as any.
Very interesting topic. My FI is totally against the "diamond cartel" as he puts it, so we definitely did not do diamond jewelry. I don't have the same objections, but I do see his point. Even if a diamond is purchased through the Kimberly Process (which is unreliable, I think part of the plot of Blood Diamond is that the stones are being smuggled out of Sierra Leone so they can be sold as conflict-free), it still increases the overall demand for diamonds. This pushes up the price, making smuggling etc more lucrative.
My point is that, as others have said, this is a personal decision. But I think it's important to understand the reality. Canadian diamonds are certainly, as far as I can tell, the safest route, but it doesn't change the fact that they impact the price of diamonds on the market. Because of the conditions in which diamonds are mined, there's a limit to how well things like KP can guarantee conflict-free provenance. So it's still a gamble. It doesn't equate the purchaser with the militia leaders recruiting young children, but it's not a purchase without moral gray areas. In many countries, including the US, those who seek to bypass regulations are often many steps ahead of the regulators. There is no such thing as "guaranteed to be conflict free" b/c diamonds are in some respects commodotized. We all do what works best for us, but it's important to understand the facts and not shy away from less pleasant realities.
This article criticizes the KP for being somewhat toothless, and also unwilling to step in without media urging:
I have been looking for a conflict free diamond for months now, and to tell you the truth there is really no way to guarantee anything. So far the only "reputable" dealer is brilliantearth.com and I haven't been too excited about getting my ring from the internet. Jewelers will tell you what you want to hear, either to make a sale, or because they think they know what they are talking about.
Honestly, I don't want a ring if it isn't conflict free. I can't accept it, and I would never be able to wear it. Do I shop at big chain clothing stores? Yes, from time to time. Do I own a fancy pair of running shoes? Heck yes. But that doesn't mean that I am going to just throw my hands up in the air and say "this is too much work, and why start now?" I feel passionate about this. I want this ring to be an heirloom, I want it to be a symbol of the start of our family and I don't want my SO's money going to a company that doesn't put effort into tracking their diamonds. It's much more than children working in mines, it's hundreds of poor workers dying, it's families struggling to make pennies, it's money that has been known to buy weapons (and according to some people, money that funds terrorism). When I think of it that way, there is no chance that I will be happy with a ring from an unknown source.
This is a personal choice. I have never looked at any one of my friends or family members and said "wow look at the size of that rock! It's gorgeous! Too bad it's not conflict free..." I would hope that as this becomes more and more popular (aka profitable) that it becomes easier to accomplish.
There's an interactive article here if anyone is interested: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15842524/
I tend to think that the Kimberly Process and any laws that surround any diamond mining will never rid the industry of conflict. The problem is, these are tiny stones. Even if your ring is huge in terms of diamond size, in the whole scheme of the earth, they are still tiny. It is impossible to regulate anything that is so small. Like a few have said, these conflict diamonds can easily be brought to a place that can certify them as conflict-free.
Even if you do have a legitimately conflict-free diamond, it does make me wonder about the money aspect of the whole thing. You are charged hundreds or thousands of dollars for a single diamond, but have you seen the conditions that the diamond miners live in? It makes me wonder why some of the money you spend isn't being filtered down to them.
If you want to end the horrible conditions that these miners are in, make diamond mining less profitable than cocaine smuggling. By obsessing over the perfect diamond and buying into the WIC concept of a "diamond engagement ring" vice an "engagement ring" you are only furthering the trade. Your e-ring doesn't need a diamond in it. But that's what we buy into. Your e-ring doesn't have to have a 3ct. flawless emerald cut stone, but still we obsess. Change attitudes to change the world. If you are passionate about the topic I would recommend avoiding diamonds altogether. They devalue as demand decreases! This gives less money to the overlords, who are then less able to opress the people who mine the diamonds. It all trickles down.
I thought you were going somewhere else completely with that post when you started with, "make diamond mining less profitable than cocaine smuggling..."
Well there is always the option to snort more cocaine, but somehow I don't see that bettering the world. It was more a comparison of two illegal trades which can be irradicated if only the end user would refrain from purchase.
Lol, yeah, I was hoping the rest of the post would enlighten us on how crack is also the answer to solving world hunger, but alas... :)
My wedding band came from billiantearth.com, not because I was trying to get a conflict free diamond, but just because they had what I was looking for. Yes, the price did seem to be a bit more than a ring of this type should cost, but then i later saw an ad in the newspaper for a ring that looked exactly the same, but was 18k white gold (mine is platinum) for double the price! The only thing I can think of is that the diamonds were better quailty. Regardless, I do reccommend brilliantearth.com if you truely want a conflict-free, Canadian diamond. They offer a 30 day return policy, but the quality really is quite good and they have good customer service.
That said, I saw in an article on The Knot that Tiffany's only deals with conflict free suppliers, SUPPOSEDLY, and they will only buy from Kimberly sellers. They have a lot of information on their website about it http://www.tiffany.com/sustainability/default.aspx It seems like they do actively try to help. I only looked at Tiffany's since that is where the hubby got my e-ring. I had NO IDEA things like this existed before I found the brilliantearth website even
I dealt with this issue by not having an engagement ring at all. Our wedding rings were plain gold bands--used ones from the 1930s, so there was not even the mining or energy cost of making a new ring. We ended up just as married, and I love our rings!
And Pavillionette, I'm still laughing over your conclusion that, "aside from the possibility that the scientists were duking it out in the laboratory, it is as conflict-free as any." As my wife just said, "No lab is conflict-free," but the conflict is a whole lot less lethal than that involved with mined diamonds.

My FI was very interested in this as well when he was shopping after watching this movie, too. However, he was told teh same thing that bellenga mentioned. I trust our jeweler and truly hope that it is a conflict free diamond.
I didn't want an engagement ring at all for these very reasons. I didn't want to wear something that to me (obviously opinions vary wildly) would represent oppression, death, and violence.
Obviously, my views on this are quite extreme and I have no problem with heirloom or lab grown stones, but I also just don't really like jewelry that much. With those two things combined, it just didn't make sense for us to spend a ton (or any) money on something that I didn't want.
We are doing wedding rings, though, and I'm doing a ton of research on how to do that ethically. For example, tungston is out for us, as it is currently funding a lot of the conflict in Congo (although- I haven't exactly given up my laptop or my digital camera, which both probably have conflict minerals in them, so I'm certainly not perfect).
For me, I just want to make sure that anything that is supposed to be a symbol of our love and unity is untainted by violence and oppression. Is that possible? I don't know. Anyone have ideas?
It's hard to know if jewelers even know for sure. Many buy their diamonds from Switzerland and market it as a "Swiss Diamond"- but the problem is there are no diamonds in Switzerland! Other countries will sell to a dealer, and when the dealer sells to a larger company, he doesn't have to report where he got it from.
To avoid any uncertainty, my fiance and I researched and found out about moissanite. It's a gemstone that was originally found in a meteor. After years of research, they were able to recreate growing it in a lab. It is second in hardness only to a diamond, at a 9.5 on the scale. It's scratch resistant, and contains twice the facets of a diamond, so it's very sparkly. When the light hits it, it fires up with tons of colors! It will never cloud, discolor, or be damaged. The craziest part is that it costs a fraction of the price of a diamond. We were able to get a flawless 1 carat stone in a palladium setting for 850 dollars! (Which is great for two poor college students.) I've seen 2 carats listed for 1300-1500! I get compliments on mine all the time. I know, it sounds too good to be true.
Are there any other moissanite girls out there? I just love mine- the best part is I know exactly where it came from.
One-I love my moissanite!! I'll never buy diamonds. A life is not worth it.
Two-it's true that there is no lab free of conflict! hahaha! The lab I work in is like high school sometimes. :)
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